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Chocolate

If you’re looking for something new and hip, and with a bit of a kick, this is perfect!

Mexican Chocolate

2-3 cups melted milk chocolate (less chocolate and you’ll have more of a kick, more chocolate and the spices will be more mild)
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp chili powder (yes, you read that right)
Chocolate Molds

Melt chocolate (in microwave or in double boiler) and mix in the spices. Stir until well incorporated – you don’t want any clumps of chili powder!

Carefully spoon into chocolate molds and tap the molds until the chocolate is smooth across the top and all air bubbles are gone. Place chocolates in the refrigerator or freezer until set. Pop out by turning the molds upside down and twisting (like you are popping ice out of a ice cube tray). Enjoy!

I have the most amazing dessert EVER in store for your Valentines weekend! Of all the cheesecake, sweets, and desserts I have ever made this is one I am requested to make over and over again by my family. If the Chocolate Orange Cheesecake from last week didn’t strike you as romantic enough, try this one! You sweetheart will be pudding in your hands.

Mix the crumbs with the melted butter and pour into the cheesecake pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and one inch up the sides. You can use the underside of a cup or a measuring cup with a flat bottom so that the crust is well pressed and smooth. Bake crust for 8 minutes.

Once the crust comes out, toast the pecans by placing the nuts out on a flat cooking sheet and cooking for a couple minutes, just until you can smell them when you open the oven door. Remove from oven and place on a plate to cool. Melt the caramel with evaporated in a large bowl (the caramel will tend to boil up when it gets hot so make sure to use a large bowl). Make sure the caramel and milk are well blended – it may take some stirring but keep going, the two will combine. Pour the caramel directly on top of the baked crust and sprinkle with toasted pecans. Set aside

Now for the chocolate cheesecake! Mix cream cheese and sugar until very smooth. Add eggs and beat. Slowly add melted chocolate and beat until uniform in color. The batter is thick enough it won’t spread well if you just dump it all in the center. Instead spoon large scoops of the batter on top of the caramel mixture and then gently spread. Return to oven.

*Note: ALWAYS place cheesecake pan directly on a cookie sheet or other flat pan (this is in case the cheesecake leaks the bottom of your oven won’t get all nasty). Also, ALWAYS place a 9×13 pan, 2/3 full of water on the rack directly below the cheesecake. This prevents the cheesecake from cooking too quickly or from drying out.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Allow cheesecake to cool for 1-2 hours on the counter and run a knife around the outside before wrapping and placing int he refrigerator. Cool in the refrigerator for at least 6-8 hours before serving. (Although, if you place it in the freezer, it won’t need that long. More like 3-4 hours.)

Start with the crust – place crumbs in a bowl and create pour the melted butter into the center. Stir until well mixed then dump into cheesecake pan. Use your fingers to press the crust across the bottom of the pan and about an inch up the sides. You can use the underside of a cup or measuring cup to flatten the crust. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Next make the filling – cream the cream cheese and sugar until very soft and there are no cream cheese lumps. Add eggs and orange juice concentrate and mix. Melt the chocolate, but let it cool a minute before adding to the cheese and egg mixture. Mix well. Pour into slightly cooled crust and bake for 50 minutes.

*Note: ALWAYS place cheesecake pan directly on a cookie sheet or other flat pan (this is in case the cheesecake leaks the bottom of your oven won’t get all nasty). Also, ALWAYS place a 9×13 pan, 2/3 full of water on the rack directly below the cheesecake. This prevents the cheesecake from cooking too quickly or from drying out.

Once the cheesecake comes out, allow it to cool for ten minutes while you make the topping. Beat the sour cream, sugar, and orange juice concentrate together until well blended. Pour over the chocolate layer. Return cheesecake to oven (still on the cookie sheet and still with the pan of water on the bottom rack) and cook for 5 minutes. DO NOT REMOVE FROM OVEN, but turn oven off and leave cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes with the oven door slightly open. (This allows the cheesecake to cool off slowly and helps prevent cracking.)

Remove cheesecake from oven and leave on the counter for 1-2 hours. Before wrapping and placing in the refrigerator, run a knife around the edge to separate it from the pan. Do not remove the sides of the pan, but as the cheesecake cools it will shrink slightly and if it is still stuck to the sides it could cause the center to crack. Wrap cheesecake and refrigerator OVER NIGHT – serious, this cheesecake is much better the second day, once the flavors have a change to meld together. (Although, I have made it and placed it in the freezer for 4-6 hours before serving. It wasn’t as good as waiting until the next day, but still very good!)

Although this cheesecake seems to have a lot of steps, it isn’t complicated or hard at all. And so worth every minute spend waiting for it to set up! So amazingly good! Let me know what you think.

After Dinner Mints

In separate bowls, melt both chocolates. Add a couple drops of mint extract to either just the white chocolate (for a light minty flavor) or to both chocolates (for a stronger mint experience). Taste the chocolate to make sure it has the amount of mint you want, just know that the mint flavor will be slightly stronger after the chocolate has set up.

Using a small spoon, pour a small amount of white chocolate into the mold; the goal is to fill it 1/3 to 1/2 of the way with white chocolate. Allow to set up either on the counter in a cool room (below 70 degrees) or in the refrigerator. (Do not place chocolate in the freezer at this point as this will make the chocolate TOO cold and hard, when you add the dark chocolate on top they won’t fuse together well and you’ll run the risk of the two layer breaking apart when handling).

Once the white chocolate has set up (if you placed it in the refrigerator this should only take about 5-10 minutes) fill the mold the rest of the way with the melted dark chocolate. Note: the white chocolate doesn’t have to be completely hard, just firm enough that the two chocolates won’t mix.

With both white and dark chocolate in the molds place the mold either in the refrigerator or the freezer until the chocolate is completely set up and hard. (Placing chocolate in the freezer at this point is totally fine.)

Turn mold upside down and twist (like you would when popping ice out of an ice tray). Enjoy after dinner or serve at any party!

These easy to make-ahead dessert cups make even a simple scoop of ice-cream look like it came from a five-star restaurant! And, oh, the possibilities! Imagine these with your favorite custard and fresh fruit. Or – try this – a little lemon custard followed by a heaping spoon of citrus flavored whipped cream.

Sorry. I think I’m drooling.

Chocolate Dessert Cup

1 1/2 cups good Melting Chocolate (Not chocolate chips, something that will set up after its been melted.)
Wax Paper
Cupcake Pan

Start by melting the chocolate – either over a double boiler or in the microwave (always keep the microwave on half power and never for more than a minute at a time).

As the chocolate is melting, cut out 6 squares of wax paper, approximately 6 inches by 6 inches each.

Use a spoon to pour and then spread a small amount of chocolate around the center of one square of wax paper. Turn the cupcake pan upside-down and drape the chocolate covered wax over the top of one cupcake. Make the other five chocolate bowls like the first, spacing the wax out across the whole pan.

Carefully lift and place the cupcake pan with the chocolate cups on it into the freezer. Chill until the chocolate is set, about 30-60 minutes. Remove the wax and chocolate off the cupcake pan and then slowly peel the wax away from the chocolate.

Stack the chocolate bowls with a piece of clean wax paper between each one and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. (Not that these need refrigeration, the cold just helps prevent the cups from softening from sitting in a warm room.) Fill with anything that strikes your fancy!

Growing up, I made these every year with my mom. The smell of spearmint always takes me back to kneading in the food coloring of these sweet and minty candies. These holiday treats are perfect for making with kids since they are simple and delicious!

In a large bowl, use egg beaters to mix the corn syrup, butter, salt and extract. Next, add the sugar a little at a time. Once the dough becomes too thick for the beaters, continue mixing in the remainder of the sugar by kneading with your hands. This is a great time to get any little ones running around the house involved! Add a few drops of food coloring if you like, and knead until the color is homogeneous.

Roll into small balls with your hands and place on a sheet of wax paper. Using a fork dipped in powdered sugar, press down on the mint balls to flatten. Twist the fork 90 degrees and press down softly again to create a checkered pattern. Mints can be enjoyed as is, dipped in chocolate, or dusted with powdered sugar just before serving as shown above. (Note: if dusting with powdered sugar, remember the sugar will dissolve into the mints after several hours, so dust just before serving.)

Coconut Centers

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the chocolate. Once thoroughly mixed, place in the refrigerator until the mixture has set up enough to hold it’s shape, approximately 2-4 hours. Use a melon-baller to scoop filling and form into balls by rolling between your hands. Place on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Place back in the refrigerator or in the freezer until ready to dip.

Melt the chocolate and hand dip the coconut centers. After dipping, place on a clean sheet of wax paper and allow to set-up in the refrigerator. This recipe also works very well with chocolate mold.

Cashew Turtles

Place caramel, milk, and butter in a large bowl and melt either in microwave or over a stove top. Make sure to stir frequently and not melt it at too high a heat as it burns easily. If the caramel melts, but the milk and butter aren’t mixing in don’t worry. Just keep stirring and it’ll all come together soon.

Melt chocolate – same as above, do it either in the microwave or on the stove just be careful not to burn it.

Coat the inside of chocolate mold with a thin layer of chocolate and let it set up in the refrigerator for a couple of minutes. Scoop a small amount of melted caramel into the chocolate covered mold, just make sure you stir the caramel right before using it since the cashews will slowly float to the top. Top the caramel with just enough chocolate to cover and seal the chocolate. Place in freezer and allow to harden for several minutes. Pull the mold out, turn it over and pop out the good stuff!

Kids LOVE these chocolate suckers. Anything on a stick is awesome at that age, and then to add chocolate and sprinkles! Ha – those little kiddos didn’t know life could get so good.

Chocolate Christmas Tree Suckers

Melting chocolate – milk, dark or white, any will do
Sprinkles – or anything you’d like to see hanging on your trees
Sucker Sticks
Zip-loc Bag
Paper and Markers
Wax Paper

Using the marker, draw out a template on your paper. I did simple, tall triangles. These will help me make all my trees the same size and symmetrical. Next melt chocolate in either a microwave or a double-boiler and pour melted chocolate into a zip-loc bag.

Snip the tip off the corner of the bag, making a very small whole, and squeeze a line of chocolate out and down the center of one tree. Place stick on top of chocolate.

Starting at the top of the tree, squeeze more chocolate out to form your tree.

Add sprinkles! This is a great step for kids to get involved with – you can let them decorate their own trees or individualize each tree (peanuts for dad, pink sprinkles for little sister, and cranberries for grandma!) These make fantastic gifts, especially because they are so fast and easy – you can make dozens in hardly any time at all.

These chocolate suckers are great for any occasion. You could make pumpkins for Halloween (White chocolate, colored orange, and use M&Ms, and licorice to make Jack-O-Lantern eyes and mouths), or hearts for Valentines Day (with Red Hots or white pearl sprinkles). Seriously – you could make anything.

Of all the candies I have ever made – and I’ve made a lot – no other candy has received so many compliments. With a satisfying snap, this creamy white chocolate is filled with tantalizing peppermint.

Peppermint Bark Homemade Candy Bars

3 cups melting white chocolate
12 candy canes (one box)
Mini Loaf Pan

To make these delightful homemade ‘candy bars’, start by cutting pieces of wax paper to line the inside each opening of the loaf pan. Cut the paper to line the bottom of each opening, and still be long enough to continue up two of the sides. Later these wax papers will be used to pull chocolate up and out of the loaf pan.

Crush candy canes. This is best done in either a food processor or blender – crush candy canes until half powder, half small pieces.

Melt white chocolate. You can either microwave the chocolate on half power (a minute at first, then 30 seconds after that, stirring frequently), or place the chocolate in the top part of a double boiler (just be careful to NOT allow water to get into chocolate as it will ruin it.)

Once chocolate it fully melted, mix chocolate and peppermint cane together thoroughly.

Spoon melted chocolate with peppermint into loaf pan. Each ‘candy bar’ should be about 1/4 inch thick. Two small spoonfuls is usually about right. Once all are full, lift pan two inches above the counter top and drop to tap out any air bubbles and to smooth the top. Do this several times. Place pan in refrigerator for 30-60 minutes or until firm. Pull on wax paper to remove chocolate. Fold wax paper around chocolate, and then wrap in paper for an adorable gift!